Gate-closer



(No Model.)

H. GROSS.

GATE CLOSER. No. 257,491. Patented May 9,1882.

N, PETERS Phala-Lilhogrnpllen Wm; nnnnnnnn I U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY GROSS, OF TIFFIN, OHIO.

GATE-CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Letters Patent No. 257,491, dated May 9, 1882.

Application filed August 29, 1881. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY GROSS, of Tiffin,

my invention consists in a certain peculiar arrangement of pivoted lever, weight, and link suitably proportioned to the gate upon which it is to be used, so that it will have atall times complete control of the gate, irrespective of its position, all of which will be hereinafter fully described in detail, and the improvement specifically set forth in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved automatic gate-closing device as applied to its use. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan showing the gate opened to an extreme position.

A is the gate, constructed with the usual side posts or timbers, connected at top and bottom by the cross-pieces a a and the diagonal brace a.

B B are the fence-posts that bound the gateopening, and to one of which the gate is hung in the usual manner.

O is a lever provided with a shouldered journal; c, at or near the center of its length, disposed at'right angles thereto, which journal rests in a bearing, D. The bearing D is secured to the gate post B in an inclined position, as shown in the drawings, said post being the same to which the gate A is hinged.

Secured to one end of the lever O is a weight, F, of cast-iron or other suitable material, and a link or chain, E, connects the other end of the lever to the brace a of the gate A. The link 1*] is of such length that when the gate is closed the pivoted lever G is permitted to assume a nearly vertical position when viewed on aline parallel with the fence, with the weight F hanging pendent from the lower end thereof; but when the gate is closed and the link E is viewed on a line at right angles with the direction of the fence said link will be found considerably inclined from a perpendicular, so that the upper portion (above the pivot cl) thereof will extend in front of the gate, while the lower portion, with the weight attached,

will extend to one side of the gate-opening, as more clearly shown in the drawings. The tendency of the weight F is to cause the lever O to assume a vertical position, and-the journal-bearing D is so located with respect to the position of the gate when closed that thelever is never permitted to assume a perfectly vertical position, and hence the gate is held in a closed position by this tendency of the weight to draw the said lever into a vertical position. When the gate is thrown open it acts through connecting-link E to depress one end of thel'ever 0 and raise the other, to which the weight is attached. This movement may be continued until the gate has been swung through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, when, it the proportion of parts is correct, the lever G should assume ahorizontal position, with the end to which the link E is secured extending out beyond the line of the fence, as shown in Fig.3 of the drawings. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the lever (l is still connected to the gate on a line entirely outside of a plane through the axes of the gate-hinges, and hence the weight F,'acting through said lever, will have the power to operate the gate. In a general way, when in operation, the gate swings through a horizontal plane, while the lever O swings through an approximately vertical plane, the link E serving to make the in tervening connection and accommodate the change in the direction of motion.

In addition to the fact that by incliningtho lever O in its bearings it may be brought closer to the gate-post, it will be seen that from this arrangement the lever will progress horizontally to a certain extent in the direction taken by the gate, and will exert a greater leverage and control over it while still perfectly responsive to the gravity action ot' the weight.

If it is desired to limit the travel or swing of the gate to an angle of ninety or one hundred degrees, it is simply necessary to locate the pivot or hearing of the lever O sufticiently distant from the gate to cause the lever to assume a horizontal position when the gate has traveled through that angle.

In order to render the action of the lever (1 regular and preventlateral movement or wabbling, I provide it with an elongated hub, c,

which rests in a forked bearing, D. This hearing has sufficient leverage to resist the lateral pull of the lever due to the weight.

In conclusion, from the foregoing description it will be seen that by means of the centrallypivoted lever 0, so hung or supported as to be capable of swinging either in a vertical or a. reasonably-inclined plane, and actuated by meansofthe gravitatingtendency ofthe weight F pendent therefrom, 1 have furnished a counter-balance that is perfectly durable and will control the gate in its most extreme positions of opening.

I do not broadly claim a weighted lever pivoted to a gate-post and connected by a chain with the gate, as such features have heretofore been employed to automatically close a gate.

' Havingthus described my invention, what I claim is In an automatic gate-closing device, the bearing D, fixed to the gate-post in an inclined position, and the lever 0, having a journal, 0, pivoted on said inclined bearing in a verticallyinc'lined plane, whereby the lever is caused to swing in a defined path andin such movement to move around the gate-post and extend beyond the line of the i'euce when the'gate is opened, as described, in combination with a weight, F, connected with one end of thelever, and the link or chain connecting the other end of the lever with the gate, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to the foregoing specification in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY GRQSS.

Witnesses:

T. H. N OONAN, A. U. BARBOUR. 

